Walt Disney India bringing about 'Mahabharata' series in 2024

Walt Disney Co. is filming a series based on an ancient Indian epic "Mahabharata", as it seeks to gain a stronger foothold in one of the world's fastest-growing entertainment and streaming markets.

A retelling of the "Mahabharata" will be released in 2024, Gaurav Banerjee, head of content at Disney+ Hotstar -- Disney's Indian digital platform -- said at the media giant's three-day D23 extravaganza event at the Anaheim Convention Center in California.

Disney is hoping the longest poem ever written -- with 200,000 verses in its unabridged version -- will strike gold in India as streaming platforms come under increasing pressure from investors to show they can buck a downward trend in subscriber growth hitting Netflix Inc. A rerun of the 1980s production of the "Ramayana" -- an ancient tale that like the "Mahabharata" is central to Hinduism -- was a surprise TV hit in India during the Covid-19 pandemic.

"Mythology has always been one of the most popular genres on Indian television," said Mihir Shah, the Mumbai-based vice president at consultancy Media Partners Asia. "The announcement of Mahabharata on Disney+ Hotstar is a move to extend this success" into the world of online streaming, he said.